Image communicating method, facsimile type electronic mail apparatus and facsimile apparatus

ABSTRACT

A communication apparatus includes a scanner configured to scan a document to obtain binary image data, an adder that adds paper size information to the obtained binary image data and a converter that converts the binary image data, including the paper size information, into e-mail data. A transmitter transmits the converted e-mail data, including the paper size information to a destination terminal over a network so that the destination terminal can determine whether to downsize the binary image data in the e-mail data in accordance with the paper size information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No.09/628,673 filed Jul. 28, 2000 which is a continuation of applicationSer. No. 09/040.293 filed Mar. 18, 1998, which is now U.S. Pat. No.6,172,763 issued Jan. 9, 2001, which is a continuation application Ser.No. 08/734.321 filed Oct. 21, 1996 which is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,812,278issued Sep. 2, 1998, the contents of which are expressly incorporated byreference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an image communicating method inwhich an image data communication is performed between an electronicmail apparatus and a facsimile apparatus, a facsimile type electronicmail apparatus in which a text obtained in an electronic computeroriginated mail is processed in the facsimile apparatus, and a facsimileapparatus in which facsimile data received in a facsimile is transmittedto an electronic mail apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] An apparatus installed in an office has been recently connectedwith a local area network (LAN) to efficiently conduct business. Forexample, a facsimile is connected to the LAN to use the facsimile as aprinter. Also, a text or letter prepared in a personal computer istransmitted to a facsimile through the LAN. In a Published UnexaminedJapanese Patent Application No. H7-14309 (1995), an apparatus in which atext prepared in a personal computer is transmitted by an electroniccomputer originated mail (hereinafter, called an electronic mail) to afacsimile apparatus through an LAN is proposed.

[0005] Also, a facsimile apparatus in which a facsimile is connectedwith the LAN and image data transmitted from the facsimile istransmitted to a destination by an electronic mail through the LAN isproposed. As an example, a facsimile apparatus connecting an integratedservices digital network (ISDN) and an LAN is proposed in a PublishedUnexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H6-164645 (1994), and imagedata transmitted through the ISDN is transmitted to an address of anelectronic mail indicated by a sub-address of the ISDN.

[0006] 2.1. Previously Proposed Art

[0007]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional facsimile apparatus inwhich an electronic mail is utilized.

[0008] As shown in FIG. 1, a facsimile apparatus 100 is composed of acentral processing unit (CPU) 101 for controlling the facsimileapparatus 100, a read only memory (ROM) 102 for storing a program, arandom access memory (RAM) 103 for storing data used for the program, apanel unit 107 for inputting an instruction indicating the transmissionof data, a LAN control unit 109 for controlling the transmission of textdata to a LAN or the reception of text data from the LAN, acharacter-to-image converting unit 120 for converting the text data ofan electronic mail transmitted through the LAN to image data, acompressing and expanding unit 108 for compressing or expanding theimage data obtained by the character-to-image converting unit 120, afacsimile communicating unit 113 for transmitting the image datacompressed by the compressing and expanding unit 108 to a telephone lineor receiving image data from the telephone line, a scanning unit 111 forreading a manuscript to obtain image data, and a printing unit 110 forprinting the image data obtained in the by the character-to-imageconverting unit 120 or the scanning unit 111.

[0009] In the above configuration of the facsimile apparatus 100, anoperation for receiving an electronic mail and transmitting theelectronic mail to a facsimile is described.

[0010] When an electronic mail transmitted through the LAN is receivedby the LAN control unit 109, a text of the electronic mail is convertedinto image data by the character-to-image converting unit 120, and theimage data is compressed by the compressing and expanding unit 108.Thereafter, a facsimile number written in a destination box of theelectronic mail is read out by the facsimile communicating unit 113, andthe compressed image data is transmitted from the facsimilecommunicating unit 113 to an address indicated by the facsimile numberthrough the telephone line.

[0011]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional facsimile apparatus inwhich facsimile data received through a telephone line is transmitted toan address of an electronic mail.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, a facsimile apparatus 120 is composed of aCPU 121 for controlling the facsimile apparatus 120, a ROM 122 forstoring a program, a RAM 123 for storing data used for the program, afacsimile data receiving and transmitting unit 124 for receivingfacsimile data transmitted through a telephone line or transmittingfacsimile data to the telephone line, a format converting unit 125 forconverting a format in the facsimile data received by the facsimile datareceiving and transmitting unit 124 to a format of an electronic mail toobtain electronic mail data, and an LAN controlling unit 126 forreceiving an electronic mail transmitted through an LAN or transmittingthe electronic mail-data obtained in the format converting unit 125.

[0013] In the above configuration of the facsimile apparatus 120, whenfacsimile data transmitted from a transmitting side through thetelephone line is received in the facsimile data receiving andtransmitting unit 124, an address of an electronic mail is retrievedaccording to a number of a sub-address of the ISDN by using acorresponding table of registered numbers and mail addresses, thefacsimile data is converted to electronic mail data by the formatconverting unit 125, and the electronic mail data is transmitted to areceiving side placed at the address of the electronic mail through theLAN controlling unit 126.

[0014] 2.2. Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0015] However, in the facsimile apparatus 100 according to a firstprior art, because a text of the electronic mail is converted into theimage data and is transmitted to a facsimile, in cases where a papersize treated on a transmitting side differs from that treated on areceiving side, the text of the electronic mail cannot be transmitted tothe facsimile because a paper size adjustment cannot be performed.

[0016] Also, because any user can use the facsimile apparatus 100 as arelay unit relaying from the LAN to the facsimile, an owner of thefacsimile apparatus 100 is required to pay a communication fee eventhough another person uses the facsimile apparatus 100 as a relay unit.Therefore, there is a probability that the facsimile apparatus 100 isagainst owner's interests.

[0017] Also, in cases where a transmission error occurs in the facsimileapparatus 100, a user who transmits an electronic mail to a facsimilecannot know the occurrent of the transmission error.

[0018] In the facsimile apparatus 120 according to a second prior art,in cases where a transmission error of the electronic mail occurs, thefacsimile apparatus 120 cannot inform the facsimile of the transmittingside that the transmission error occurs. Therefore, a sender cannot knowwhether or not a manuscript read by the facsimile is correctlytransmitted to the receiving side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] A first object of the present invention is to provide, with dueconsideration to the drawbacks of such a conventional facsimileapparatus, an image communicating method and a facsimile type electronicmail apparatus in which a communication between a transmitting side anda receiving side is performed even though a paper size treated on thetransmitting side differs from that treated on the receiving side. Also,the first object is to provide an image communicating method in whichthe facsimile type electronic mail apparatus is not used by a personother than an owner without permission. Also, the first object is toprovide an image communicating method and a facsimile type electronicmail apparatus in which a user who transmits an electronic mail to afacsimile can know the occurrent of a transmission error.

[0020] A second object of the present invention is to provide afacsimile apparatus which informs a transmitting side of the occurrenceof a transmitting error in cases where the transmitting error of anelectronic mail occurs.

[0021] The first object is achieved by the provision of an imagecommunicating method, comprising the steps of:

[0022] producing image data indicating a particular image written in aparticular paper of a particular paper size on a transmitting side;

[0023] transmitting the image data from the transmitting side to areceiving side by an electronic mail through an internet;

[0024] judging whether or not the particular paper size of the imagedata received on the receiving side is larger than a prescribed papersize treatable on the receiving side;

[0025] adjusting the image data on the receiving side to reproduce theparticular image on a paper having the prescribed paper size in caseswhere the particular paper size is larger than the prescribed papersize; and

[0026] printing the particular image on a prescribed paper of theprescribed paper size according to the adjusted image data on thereceiving side.

[0027] The first object is also achieved by the provision of a facsimiletype electronic mail apparatus, comprising:

[0028] reading means for reading a particular image written in aparticular paper of a particular paper size on a transmitting side toproduce image data at a particular image resolution;

[0029] transmitting and receiving means for transmitting the image dataproduced by the reading means by an electronic mail on the transmittingside and receiving the image data through an internet on a receivingside;

[0030] judging means for judging whether or not the particular papersize of the image data received by the transmitting and receiving meansis larger than a prescribed paper size treatable on the receiving side;

[0031] adjusting means for adjusting the image data on the receivingside to produce adjusted image data indicating a downsized particularimage reproducible on a paper of the prescribed paper size in caseswhere it is judged by the judging means that the particular paper sizeis larger than the prescribed paper size; and

[0032] printing means for printing the downsized particular image on aprescribed paper of the prescribed paper size according to the adjustedimage data produced by the adjusting means on the receiving side.

[0033] In the above steps or the configuration, even though theparticular paper size of a paper used on the transmitting side cannot betreated on the receiving side, because the image data is adjusted toreproduce the particular image on a paper having a prescribed paper sizetreatable on the receiving side, the particular image can be printed ona prescribed paper having the prescribed paper size.

[0034] The first object is also achieved by the provision of an imagecommunicating method, comprising the steps of:

[0035] communicating between a transmitting side and a receiving sidethrough an internet to transmit a prescribed page size treatable on thereceiving side from the receiving side to the transmitting side;

[0036] judging whether or not a particular paper size of a particularpaper used on the transmitting side is larger than the prescribed papersize;

[0037] optically downsizing a particular image written in the particularpaper on the transmitting side to reproduce the particular image on apaper of the prescribed paper size in cases where the particular papersize is larger than the prescribed paper size;

[0038] producing image data indicating the downsized particular image onthe transmitting side;

[0039] transmitting the image data from the transmitting side to thereceiving side by an electronic mail through the internet; and

[0040] printing the particular image on a prescribed paper of theprescribed paper size according to the image data on the receiving side.

[0041] The first object is also achieved by the provision of a facsimiletype electronic mail apparatus, comprising:

[0042] control means for controlling the communication between atransmitting side and a receiving side through an internet to transmit aprescribed page size treatable on the receiving side from the receivingside to the transmitting side and judging whether or not a particularpaper size of a particular paper used on the transmitting side is largerthan the prescribed paper size;

[0043] image downsizing means for optically downsizing a particularimage of a manuscript written in the particular paper on thetransmitting side to produce a downsized image reproducible on a paperof the prescribed paper size in cases where it is judged by the controlmeans that the particular paper size is larger than the prescribed papersize;

[0044] reading means for reading the downsized image to produce imagedata indicating the downsized image on the transmitting side;

[0045] transmitting and receiving means for transmitting the image dataproduced by the reading means by an electronic mail on the transmittingside and receiving the image data through an internet on a receivingside; and

[0046] printing means for printing the downsized image on a prescribedpaper of the prescribed paper size on the receiving side according tothe image data transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means.

[0047] In the above steps or configuration, a prescribed page sizetreatable on the receiving side is transmitted to the transmitting sidein advance, and a particular image written in a particular paper of aparticular paper size is optically downsized on the transmitting side toreproduce the particular image on a paper of the prescribed paper size.Therefore, even though the particular paper size cannot be treated onthe receiving side, the particular image can be reproduced on thereceiving side.

[0048] The first object is also achieved by the provision of an imagecommunicating method, comprising the steps of:

[0049] inputting a pass-word corresponding to a receiving side on atransmitting side;

[0050] ciphering the pass-word on the transmitting side;

[0051] producing image data indicating a particular image written in aparticular paper on the transmitting side;

[0052] adding the ciphered pass-word to the image data on thetransmitting side;

[0053] transmitting the image data from the transmitting side to thereceiving side by an electronic mail through an internet;

[0054] deciphering the ciphered pass-word added to the image data eonthe receiving sid;

[0055] judging on the receiving side whether or not the decipheredpass-word agrees with a prescribed pass-word peculiar to the receivingside; and

[0056] transmitting the image data to a facsimile to reproduce theparticular image in cases where the deciphered pass-word agrees with theprescribed pass-word.

[0057] The first object is also achieved by the provision of a facsimiletype electronic mail apparatus, comprising:

[0058] inputting means for inputting a pass-word corresponding to areceiving side on a transmitting side;

[0059] reading means for reading a particular image written in aparticular paper of a particular paper size to produce image dataindicating the particular image on the transmitting side;

[0060] ciphering means for ciphering the pass-word input by theinputting means on the transmitting side to produce a ciphered pass-wordand adding the ciphered pass-word to the image data produced by thereading means on the transmitting side;

[0061] transmitting and receiving means for transmitting the image dataproduced by the reading means by an electronic mail on the transmittingside and receiving the image data through an internet on a receivingside;

[0062] deciphering means for extracting the ciphered pass-word added tothe image data and deciphering the ciphered pass-word on the receivingside to produce a deciphered pass-word;

[0063] judging means for judging on the receiving side whether or notthe deciphered pass-word agrees with a prescribed pass-word peculiar tothe receiving side; and

[0064] facsimile communicating means for transmitting the image datareceived by the transmitting and receiving means to a facsimile toreproduce the particular image in cases where it is judged by thejudging means that the deciphered pass-word agrees with the prescribedpass-word.

[0065] In the above steps or configuration, because the cipheredpass-word is transmitted from the transmitting side to the receivingside and the facsimile transmission of the image data is performed incases where the deciphered pass-word agrees with a prescribed pass-wordpeculiar to the receiving side, there is no probability that thefacsimile transmission is performed for a wrong purpose by anunspecified person to be against owner's interests.

[0066] The first object is also achieved by the provision of an imagecommunicating method, comprising the steps of:

[0067] inputting print data which is reproducible in a particular paperand is transmitted from a terminal to a transmitting side through alocal area network;

[0068] inserting both an electronic mail address indicating an errorinformation receiving apparatus and a facsimile number indicating afacsimile into the print data on the transmitting side;

[0069] transmitting the print data from the transmitting side to areceiving side through an internet;

[0070] analyzing the print data on the receiving side to extract thefacsimile number,

[0071] transmitting the print data to the facsimile indicated by thefacsimile number to output the print data;

[0072] judging whether or not an error occurs in the transmission of theprint data to the facsimile;

[0073] analyzing the print data on the receiving side to extract theelectronic mail address in cases where an error occurs in thetransmission of the print data to the facsimile; and

[0074] informing the error information receiving apparatus indicated bythe electronic mail address that the error occurs, by an electronic mailthrough the local net work.

[0075] The first object is also achieved by the provision of a facsimiletype electronic mail apparatus, comprising:

[0076] inputting means for inputting print data which is reproducible ina particular paper and is transmitted from a terminal to a transmittingside through a local area network;

[0077] inserting means for inserting both an electronic mail addressindicating an error information receiving apparatus and a facsimilenumber indicating a facsimile into the print data prepared by thepreparing means on the transmitting side;

[0078] transmitting and receiving means for transmitting the print data,in which the electronic mail address and the facsimile number areinserted by the inserting means, by an electronic mail on thetransmitting side and receiving the print data through an internet on areceiving side;

[0079] print data analyzing means for analyzing the print data receivedby the transmitting and receiving means on the receiving side to extractthe facsimile number and the electronic mail address from the printdata;

[0080] facsimile communicating means for transmitting the print data tothe facsimile, which is indicated by the facsimile number extracted bythe print data analyzing means, to output the print data;

[0081] control means for judging whether or not an error occurs in thetransmission of the print data performed by the facsimile communicatingmeans and informing the error information receiving apparatus, which isindicated by the electronic mail address extracted by the print dataanalyzing means, of the occurrence of an error by an electronic mailthrough the local net work in cases where the error occurs in thetransmission of the print data to the facsimile.

[0082] In the above steps or configuration, the print data prepared byusing a terminal such as a personal computer can be transmitted to thefacsimile through the transmitting and receiving sides. Also, eventhough an error occurs in the facsimile transmission, the occurrence ofthe error can be immediately informed the error information receivingapparatus by an electronic mail.

[0083] The second object is achieved by the provision of a facsimileapparatus, comprising:

[0084] facsimile data receiving means for receiving facsimile data froma facsimile of a transmitter;

[0085] recognizing means for recognizing identification information ofthe transmitter and a receiver's electronic mail address which arewritten in the facsimile data received by the facsimile data receivingmeans;

[0086] mail address generating means for generating a transmitter'selectronic mail address uniquely specifying the transmitter;

[0087] storing means for storing a set of the transmitter's electronicmail address generated by the mail address generating means, theidentification information of the transmitter recognized by therecognizing means and the receiver's electronic mail address recognizedby the recognizing means in correspondence to each other;

[0088] first changing means for changing the facsimile data received bythe facsimile data receiving means to a transmitter's electronic mailand inserting the transmitter's electronic mail address generated by themail address generating means into the transmitter's electronic mail;

[0089] electronic mail transmitting and receiving means for transmittingthe transmitter's electronic mail changed by the first changing means toa receiver specified by the receiver's electronic mail addressrecognized by the recognizing means through an internet and receiving areceiver's electronic mail which denotes a reply or error informationfor the transmitter's electronic mail and is transmitted from thereceiver to the transmitter's electronic mail address inserted into thetransmitter's electronic mail through the internet;

[0090] reading means for reading the identification information of thetransmitter from the storing means according to the transmitter'selectronic mail address of the receiver's electronic mail received bythe electronic mail transmitting and receiving means;

[0091] second changing means for changing the receiver's electronic mailreceived by the electronic mail transmitting and receiving means toreceiver's facsimile data; and

[0092] facsimile data transmitting means for transmitting the receiver'sfacsimile data changed by the second changing means to the facsimile ofthe transmitter specified by the identification information of thetransmitter read by the reading means.

[0093] In the above configuration, a transmitter prepares facsimile datain which identification information specifying the transmitter and areceiver's electronic mail address are included. Thereafter, when thefacsimile data is received by the facsimile data receiving means, theidentification information and the receiver's electronic mail addressare recognized by the recognizing means, and a transmitter's electronicmail address is generated by the mail address generating means. Also, aset of the transmitter's electronic mail address, the identificationinformation and the receiver's electronic mail address is stored in thestoring means in correspondence to each other. Thereafter, the facsimiledata is changed to a transmitter's electronic mail by the first changingmeans and the transmitter's electronic mail address is inserted into thetransmitter's electronic mail, and the transmitter's electronic mail istransmitted to a receiver specified by the receiver's electronic mailaddress through an internet.

[0094] Thereafter, when a receiver's electronic mail transmitted fromthe receiver to the transmitter's electronic mail address as a reply orerror information for the transmitter's electronic mail is received bythe electronic mail transmitting and receiving means, the identificationinformation of the transmitter is read from the storing means accordingto the transmitter's electronic mail address by the reading means, thereceiver's electronic mail is changed to receiver's facsimile data bythe second changing means, and the receiver's facsimile data istransmitted to the transmitter specified by the identificationinformation of the transmitter by the facsimile data transmitting means.

[0095] Accordingly, even though an error occurs in the transmission ofthe transmitter's electronic mail, the error can be reliably informedthe transmitter because the transmitter's electronic mail address isgenerated by the mail address generating means and the transmitter isuniquely specified by the transmitter's electronic mail address.

[0096] The second object is also achieved by the provision of afacsimile apparatus, comprising:

[0097] facsimile data receiving means for receiving facsimile data froma facsimile of a transmitter;

[0098] recognizing means for recognizing a transmitter's electronic mailaddress and a receiver's electronic mail address which are written inthe facsimile data received by the facsimile data receiving means;

[0099] changing means for changing the facsimile data received by thefacsimile data receiving means to a transmitter's electronic mail andinserting the transmitter's electronic mail address recognized by therecognizing means into the transmitter's electronic mail; and

[0100] electronic mail transmitting means for transmitting thetransmitter's electronic mail changed by the changing means to areceiver specified by the receiver's electronic mail address recognizedby the recognizing means through an internet to receive a receiver'selectronic mail denoting a reply or error information for thetransmitter's electronic mail in a terminal unit specified by thetransmitter's electronic mail address inserted into the transmitter'selectronic mail address by the changing means.

[0101] In the above configuration, because a transmitter's electronicmail having a transmitter's electronic mail address is transmitted tothe receiver, the receiver can directly send a receiver's electronicmail denoting a reply or error information for the transmitter'selectronic mail to a terminal unit of the transmitter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0102] The objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0103]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional facsimile apparatus inwhich an electronic mail is utilized;

[0104]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional facsimile apparatus inwhich facsimile data received through a telephone line is transmitted toan address of an electronic mail.

[0105]FIG. 3 is a conceptual view of operational circumstances in whicha facsimile type electronic mail apparatus is operated;

[0106]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a facsimile type electronic mailapparatus used on a transmitting side or a receiving side according to afirst embodiment of the present invention;

[0107]FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an operation in which a particular papersize for an image or a particular image resolution is adjusted accordingto an image communicating method of the first embodiment;

[0108]FIG. 6 shows a relationship of mail data obtained in a formatconverting unit shown in FIG. 4 and image data obtained in a formatinverse converting unit shown in FIG. 4;

[0109]FIG. 7 shows an example of a header of an electronic mail;

[0110]FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a facsimile type electronic mailapparatus used on a transmitting side or a receiving side according tosecond and third embodiments of the present invention;

[0111]FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an operation in which an image of amanuscript is optically downsized in the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus shown in FIG. 8 according to an image communicating method ofthe second embodiment;

[0112]FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an operation in which a prescribedpaper size and a prescribed image resolution treatable on each of thereceiving sides are registered in advance with the registration of ashortened number of each of the receiving sides according to an imagecommunicating method of the third embodiment;

[0113]FIG. 11 is a flow chart of an operation in which an image of amanuscript is optically downsized according to the prescribed paper sizeand the prescribed image resolution on the transmitting side;

[0114]FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a facsimile type electronic mailapparatus functioning as a relay station according to fourth, fifth andsixth embodiments;

[0115]FIG. 13 is a flow chart of an operation in which mail data of anelectronic mail prepared in the facsimile type electronic mail apparatusshown in FIG. 12 of a transmitting side is transmitted to the facsimiletype electronic mail apparatus of a receiving side functioning as arelay station according to an image communicating method of the fourthembodiment;

[0116]FIG. 14 shows a relay station list stored in a RAM of thefacsimile type electronic mail apparatus shown in FIG. 12;

[0117]FIG. 15 is a flow chart of an operation in which a characterstream transmitted from the transmitting side is analyzed and theelectronic mail is transmitted to a facsimile according to the imagecommunicating method of the fourth embodiment;

[0118]FIG. 16 shows a procedure for forming a cipher key in dependenceon image data obtained from a manuscript and enciphering a pass-word byusing the cipher key;

[0119]FIG. 17 shows a procedure for changing a pass-word to a cipheredpass-word according to a cipher key;

[0120]FIG. 18 is a flow chart of an operation in which the occurrence ofan error in a facsimile transmission is informed a transmitting sideaccording to an image communicating method of the sixth embodiment;

[0121]FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a facsimile type electronic mailapparatus functioning as a relay station according to a seventhembodiment;

[0122]FIG. 20 is a flow chart of an operation in which print datatransmitted from a personal computer of a transmitting side is analyzedand transmitted to a facsimile identified by a facsimile number includedin the print data;

[0123]FIG. 21 is a conceptual view of operational circumstances in whicha facsimile type electronic mail apparatus is operated;

[0124]FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according toan eighth embodiment of the present invention;

[0125]FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 22 according to the eighth embodimentwhen facsimile data is received in the facsimile apparatus;

[0126]FIG. 24 shows a corresponding table of a plurality of sets oftransmitter's electronic mail addresses (or user's names), informingfacsimile numbers and receiver's electronic mail addresses;

[0127]FIG. 25 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 22 according to the eighth embodimentwhen an electronic mail transmitted from a personal computer of areceiver is returned to a transmitter;

[0128]FIG. 26 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 22 according to the eighth embodimentwhen an electronic mail transmitted from a personal computer of thereceiver is returned to the facsimile apparatus;

[0129]FIG. 27 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 22 according to a tenth embodimentwhen a receiver's electronic mail transmitted from a personal computerof a receiver is returned to the facsimile apparatus;

[0130]FIG. 28 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according toan eleventh embodiment of the present invention;

[0131]FIG. 29 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 22 according to a thirteenthembodiment when a receiver's electronic mail transmitted from a personalcomputer of a receiver is returned to the facsimile apparatus;

[0132]FIG. 30 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to afourteenth embodiment of the present invention;

[0133]FIG. 31 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 30 according to a fourteenthembodiment when a receiver's electronic mail transmitted from a personalcomputer of a receiver is returned to the facsimile apparatus; and

[0134]FIG. 32 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 22 according to a fifteenth embodimentwhen facsimile data is received in the facsimile apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0135] Preferred embodiments of an image communicating method, afacsimile type electronic mail apparatus and a facsimile apparatusaccording to the present invention are described with reference todrawings.

[0136]FIG. 3 is a conceptual view of operational circumstances in whicha facsimile type electronic mail apparatus is operated.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 3, a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus21, 41, 51 or 58 according to first to seventh embodiments is operatedin operational circumstances in which an electronic mail passing throughan internet 12 is used. That is, a mail gate way 13 connects theinternet 12 and a local area network (LAN) 14, and an electronic mail inthe LAN 14 communicates with the internet 12. Also, the facsimile typeelectronic mail apparatus 21, 41, 51 or 58, a personal computer 15 and apost office-protocol (POP) server 16 are respectively connected with theLAN 14. The electronic mail is transmitted according to a simple mailtransfer protocol (SMTP). However, it is applicable that the electronicmail be transmitted according to a post office protocol (POP).

[0138] In following embodiments except for the seventh embodiment, apair of facsimile type electronic mail apparatuses communicates witheach other through the LAN 14 and the internet 12.

[0139]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a facsimile type electronic mailapparatus used on a transmitting side or a receiving side according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

[0140] As shown in FIG. 4, a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus 21comprises

[0141] a ROM 22 for storing a program,

[0142] a RAM 23 for storing data used for the execution of the programstored in the ROM 22,

[0143] a panel unit 24 through which a user inputs a destinationspecifying the apparatus 21 of a receiving side,

[0144] a scanning unit 25 for reading a particular image of a manuscriptwritten in a paper having a particular paper size to obtain scannedimage data indicating characters of the manuscript at a particular imageresolution on a transmitting side,

[0145] an LAN control unit 26 for transmitting the scanned image dataprocessed on the transmitting side as mail data of an electronic mail tothe receiving side and receiving the mail data transmitted from thetransmitting side through the LAN 14 and the internet 12 on thereceiving side,

[0146] a format inverse converting unit 27 for converting a mail formatof the mail data received by the LAN control unit 26 to an image formaton the receiving side to change the received mail data to reproducedimage data,

[0147] a compressing and expanding unit 28 for compressing the scannedimage data obtained in the scanning unit 25 on the transmitting side andexpanding the reproduced image data obtained in the format inverseconverting unit 27 on the receiving side,

[0148] a format converting unit 29 for converting the image format ofthe scanned image data compressed by the compressing and expanding unit28 to the mail format on the transmitting side to change the scannedimage data to the mail data sent from the LAN control unit 26 by theelectronic mail,

[0149] a CPU 30 for controlling the transmission of the mail data andthe reception of the mail data, adding the particular paper size and theparticular image resolution to the mail data transmitted from the LANcontrol unit 26 on the transmitting side and judging whether or not boththe particular paper size and the particular image resolution aretreatable in the facsimile type electronic mail apparatus 21 of thereceiving side,

[0150] an image data adjusting unit 31 for adjusting the reproducedimage data expanded by the compressing and expanding unit 28 on thereceiving side to produce adjusted image data indicating a downsizedimage of the manuscript reproducible on a paper of a prescribed papersize at a prescribed image resolution in cases where it is judged thatthe particular paper size or the particular image resolution of thereproduced image data is not treatable in the facsimile type electronicmail apparatus 21 of the receiving side, and

[0151] a printing unit 32 for printing out the particular image of themanuscript according to the reproduced image data expanded by thecompressing and expanding unit 28 on the receiving side in cases whereit is judged that both the particular paper size and the particularimage resolution are treatable in the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 21 of the receiving side and printing out the downsized imageof the manuscript on a prescribed paper of the prescribed paper size atthe prescribed image resolution according to the adjusted image dataproduced by the image data adjusting unit 31 on the receiving side incases where it is judged that the particular paper size or theparticular image resolution is not treatable in the facsimile typeelectronic mail apparatus 21 of the receiving side.

[0152] In the above configuration of the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 21, an operation for receiving mail data transmitted from atransmitting side, producing image data from the mail data and adjustinga particular paper size required for an image expressed by the imagedata or a particular image resolution on a receiving side is describedaccording to an image communicating method with reference to FIG. 5.

[0153]FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an operation in which a particular papersize for the image or a particular image resolution is adjustedaccording to an image communicating method of the first embodiment.

[0154] As shown in FIG. 5, scanned image data is obtained in thescanning unit 25 at a particular image resolution on the transmittingside by reading a manuscript written in a paper having a particularpaper size, the particular paper size and the particular imageresolution are added to the scanned image data, the scanned image datais compressed in the compressing and expanding unit 28, an image formatof the scanned image data is converted into a mail format in the formatconverting unit 29 to change the scanned image data to mail data, andthe mail data is transmitted from the LAN control unit 26 of thetransmitting side to the LAN control unit 26 of the receiving sidethrough the LAN 14 by an electronic mail (step S101).

[0155] When the mail data of the electronic mail is received on thereceiving side (step S102), the mail format of the mail data isconverted into the image format in the format inverse converting unit 27to change the mail data to reproduced image data (step S103). Theoperation in the format converting unit 29 and the operation in theformat inverse converting unit 27 are described later in detail.Thereafter, the particular paper size and the particular imageresolution are extracted from the reproduced image data in the CPU 30(step S104), the reproduced image data is expanded in the compressingand expanding unit 28 (step S105), and the particular paper size and theparticular image resolution are compared in the CPU 30 with a prescribedpaper size and a prescribed image resolution treatable in the apparatus21 of the receiving side, (step S106). Thereafter, it is judged by theCPU 30 whether or not the image expressed by the reproduced image datacan be printed out at the particular paper size and the particular imageresolution in the apparatus 21 of the receiving side (step S107). Incases where the prescribed paper size is larger than the prescribedpaper size, because the image expressed by the reproduced image datacannot be printed out at the particular paper size, the reproduced imagedata is thinned out in the image data adjusting unit 31 to print out thereproduced image data at the prescribed paper size (step S108). Also, incases where the particular image resolution is higher than theprescribed image resolution, because the image of the manuscript cannotbe reproduced at the particular image resolution, the particular imageresolution is lowered in the image data adjusting unit 31 by thinningout the reproduced image data (step S108). Thereafter, the reproducedimage data is printed out by the printing unit 32 to reproduce an imageof the manuscript (step S109) at the prescribed paper size and theprescribed image resolution. For example, in cases where the resolutionof the image expressed by the reproduced image data is 400 dots perinches (DPI) higher than the prescribed image resolution of 200 DPI andthe particular paper size for the image expressed by the reproducedimage data is larger than the prescribed paper size, the reproducedimage data is thinned out in the image data adjusting unit 31 to set thereproduced image data at the prescribed image resolution, and thereproduced image data is again thinned out to downsize the particularpaper size to the prescribed paper size.

[0156] Therefore, because the particular paper size and the particularimage resolution are judged in correspondence to each other, thereproduced image data can be processed to reproduce an image of themanuscript at the highest paper size and resolution treatable in theapparatus 21.

[0157]FIG. 6 shows a relationship of the mail data obtained in theformat converting unit 29 and the image data obtained in the formatinverse converting unit 27.

[0158] As shown in FIG. 6, the image data for each page is composed ofattributes such as a paper size, an image resolution, the number ofbytes for one page and a pointer (an address in a memory) to a next pageand compressed binary image data for one page. The mail data is composedof a header of the electronic mail and text codes obtained by convertingthe compressed binary image data. Because the binary data cannot betreated by the simple mail transfer protocol of the electronic mail, theimage data (an attribute area and a binary data area) is converted intothe text codes according to a prescribed algorithm. Also, an informationvolume of the mail data is larger than that of the image data becausethe information volume is increased when the binary image data isconverted into the text codes.

[0159]FIG. 7 shows an example of a header of the electronic mail.

[0160] As shown in FIG. 7, “MIME” written on a top line denotes amulti-purpose internet mail extensions. Therefore, image and speech canbe treated in the electronic mail as well as a text. Also, a textsection and an image section are placed at lower portions in that order,and the image data are finally added as the mail data.

[0161] Accordingly, even though a paper size treatable on the receivingside differs from that treatable on the transmitting side, because asize of an image expressed by the image data is made small on thereceiving side, the image data can be set from the transmitting side tothe receiving side by the electronic mail.

[0162] Next, a second embodiment in which an image of a manuscript isoptically downsized on a transmitting side before the manuscript is readby a scanner is described.

[0163]FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a facsimile type electronic mailapparatus used on a transmitting side or a receiving side according tosecond and third embodiments of the present invention.

[0164] As shown in FIG. 8, a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus 41comprises the ROM 22, the RAM 23, the panel unit 24, the scanning unit25, the LAN control unit 26, the format inverse converting unit 27, thecompressing and expanding unit 28, the format converting unit 29, theCPU 30, the image data adjusting unit 31, the printing unit 32, and anoptical downsizing unit 42 for optically downsizing an image of amanuscript planned to be read by the scanning unit 25 in cases where aset of a paper size and an image resolution treatable on thetransmitting side is not treatable on the receiving side.

[0165] In the above configuration of the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 41, an operation for reading a manuscript on a transmittingside while downsizing an image of the manuscript if necessary andtransmitting mail data expressing an image of the manuscript to areceiving side is described according to an image communicating methodwith reference to FIG. 9.

[0166]FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an operation in which an image of amanuscript is optically downsized in the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 41 according to an image communicating method of the secondembodiment.

[0167] As shown in FIG. 9, a paper in which a manuscript is written isset in the scanner unit 25, and a destination specifying the apparatus41 of a receiving side is input to the panel unit 24 (step S121).Thereafter, the facsimile type electronic mail apparatus 41 of atransmitting side communicates with the apparatus 41 of the receivingside, and a prescribed paper size and a prescribed image resolutiontreatable in the apparatus 41 of the receiving side is transmitted fromthe apparatus 41 of the receiving side to the apparatus 41 of thetransmitting side and is stored in the RAM 23 of the transmitting side(step S122). In this case, when a fire-wall is placed between thereceiving and transmitting sides, because the transmitting side cannotbe connected with only the receiving side, an electronic mail for askingabout a prescribed paper size and a prescribed image resolution istransmitted from the transmitting side to the receiving side, andanother electronic mail for informing about a prescribed paper size anda prescribed image resolution is returned from the receiving side to thetransmitting side. In this transmission of the electronic mail, it takesa longer time than that in the direct communication between thetransmitting and receiving sides.

[0168] Thereafter, it is judged in the CPU 30 of the receiving sidewhether or not an image of the manuscript planned to be scanned by thescanning unit 25 can be printed out at the prescribed paper size and theprescribed image resolution stored in the RAM 23 (step S123). In caseswhere an image of the manuscript cannot be printed out at the prescribedpaper size and the prescribed image resolution on the receiving side, animage of the manuscript is optically downsized by the optical downsizingunit 42 on the transmitting side before the manuscript is scanned by thescanning unit 25 (step S124), and scanned image data is obtained in thescanning unit 25 on the transmitting side by reading the manuscript(step S125). In contrast, in cases where an image of the manuscript canbe printed out at the prescribed paper size and the prescribed imageresolution on the receiving side (step S123), scanned image data isobtained in the scanning unit 25 on the transmitting side by reading themanuscript without operating the optical downsizing unit 42 (step S125).

[0169] Thereafter, the scanned image data is compressed in thecompressing and expanding unit 28 (step S126), an image format of thescanned image data is converted into a mail format in the formatconverting unit 29 to change the scanned image data to mail data (stepS127), and the mail data is transmitted from the LAN control unit 26 ofthe transmitting side to the LAN control unit 26 of the receiving sidethrough the LAN 14 by an electronic mail (step S128).

[0170] Thereafter, the mail data of the electronic mail is received onthe receiving side, the mail format of the mail data is converted intothe image format in the format inverse converting unit 27 to change themail data to reproduced image data, the reproduced image data isexpanded in the compressing and expanding unit 28, and the reproducedimage data is printed out by the printing unit 32 to reproduce an imageof the manuscript.

[0171] Accordingly, because the prescribed paper size and the prescribedimage resolution treatable on the receiving side can be informed beforethe mail data expressing the image of the manuscript is transmitted fromthe transmitting side to the receiving side, the image of the manuscriptcan be optically downsized to be reproduced at the prescribed paper sizeand the prescribed image resolution on the receiving side. Therefore,the image of the manuscript can be reproduced on the receiving side at ahigh quality as compared with that in the apparatus 21 because of theoptical downsizing of the image.

[0172] Next, a third embodiment in which a prescribed paper size and aprescribed image resolution treatable on each of the receiving sides areregistered in advance with the registration of a shortened number ofeach of the receiving sides and an image of a manuscript is opticallydownsized on one transmitting side before the manuscript is read by ascanner is described.

[0173]FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an operation in which a prescribedpaper size and a prescribed image resolution treatable on each of thereceiving sides are registered in advance with the registration of ashortened number of each of the receiving sides in the facsimile typeelectronic mail apparatus 41 according to an image communicating methodof the third embodiment.

[0174] As shown in FIG. 10, a shortened number of a destinationspecifying the apparatus 41 of a receiving side is input to the panelunit 24 (step S131). Thereafter, the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 41 communicates with the destination by an electronic mail,and a prescribed paper size and a prescribed image resolution treatableon the apparatus 41 of the receiving side is transmitted from thereceiving side to the transmitting side (step S132). Thereafter, theprescribed paper size and the prescribed image resolution are attachedto the shortened number, and a set of the shortened number, theprescribed paper size and the prescribed image resolution is registeredin the RAM 23 (step S133). Contents of the RAM 23 are back up by abuttery (not shown). The procedure of the steps S131 to S133 isperformed for each of destinations.

[0175]FIG. 11 is a flow chart of an operation in which an image of amanuscript is optically downsized according to the prescribed paper sizeand the prescribed image resolution registered in the RAM 23 of thefacsimile type electronic mail apparatus 41 on the transmitting side.

[0176] As shown in FIG. 11, a paper in which a manuscript is written isset in the scanner unit 25, and a particular shortened number of onedestination is input to the panel unit 24 (step S134). Thereafter, aprescribed paper size and a prescribed image resolution attached to theparticular shortened number are read out from the RAM 23 to the CPU 30(step S135), it is judged in the CPU 30 whether or not an image of themanuscript planned to be scanned by the scanning unit 25 can be printedout at the prescribed paper size and the prescribed image resolution onthe receiving side (step S136). In cases where an image of themanuscript cannot be printed out at the prescribed paper size and theprescribed image resolution on the receiving side, an image of themanuscript is optically downsized by the optical downsizing unit 42 onthe transmitting side before the manuscript is scanned by the scanningunit 25 (step S137), and scanned image data is obtained in the scanningunit 25 on the transmitting side by reading the manuscript (step S138).In contrast, in cases where an image of the manuscript can be printedout at the prescribed paper size and the prescribed image resolution onthe receiving side (step S136), scanned image data is obtained in thescanning unit 25 on the transmitting side by reading the manuscriptwithout operating the optical downsizing unit 42 (step S138).

[0177] Thereafter, the scanned image data is compressed in thecompressing and expanding unit 28 (step S139), an image format of thescanned image data is converted into a mail format in the formatconverting unit 29 to change the scanned image data to mail data (stepS140), and the mail data is transmitted from the LAN control unit 26 ofthe transmitting side to the LAN control unit 26 of the receiving sidethrough the LAN 14 by an electronic mail (step S141). Thereafter, themail data of the electronic mail is received on the receiving side, themail format of the mail data is converted into the image format in theformat inverse converting unit 27 to change the mail data to reproducedimage data, the reproduced image data is expanded in the compressing andexpanding unit 28, and the reproduced image data is printed out by theprinting unit 32 to reproduce an image of the manuscript.

[0178] Accordingly, because a prescribed paper size and a prescribedimage resolution treatable on a destination (or a receiving side) areregistered in advance with the registration of a shortened number of thedestination for each of destinations, a communication time required forcommunicating between the transmitting and receiving sides bytransmitting an electronic mail can be omitted each time an image of themanuscript is transmitted from the transmitting side to the receivingside.

[0179] Next, a fourth embodiment in which a facsimile type electronicmail apparatus functions as a relay station for receiving mail data ofan electronic mail, changing the mail data to facsimile data andtransmitting the facsimile data to a facsimile is described.

[0180]FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a facsimile type electronic mailapparatus functioning as a relay station according to fourth, fifth andsixth embodiments.

[0181] As shown in FIG. 12, a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus51 comprises the ROM 22,

[0182] a RAM 52 for storing data used for the execution of the programstored in the ROM 22 and storing a relay station list in which a numberof a relay station, a mail address of the relay station, a pass-word ofthe relay station and a destination name (or an owner's name) of therelay station are listed for each of relay stations,

[0183] a panel unit 53 for inputting a destination specifying theapparatus 21 of a receiving side as a relay station, a character streaminstructing a facsimile transmission and a particular pass-word on thetransmitting side, the scanning unit 25, the LAN control unit 26, theformat inverse converting unit 27, the compressing and expanding unit28, the format converting unit 29, the CPU 30, the image data adjustingunit 31, the printing unit 32,

[0184] a displaying unit 54 for displaying the relay station list storedin the RAM 52 on the transmitting side,

[0185] an enciphering and deciphering unit 55 for enciphering theparticular pass-word input to the panel unit 53 on the transmitting sideand deciphering the enciphered particular pass-word on the receivingside, and

[0186] a facsimile communicating unit 56 for transmitting facsimile dataobtained from the mail data to a particular facsimile through atelephone line on the receiving side.

[0187] In the above configuration of the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 51, an operation in which an electronic mail is transmitted toa relay station is described with reference to FIG. 13.

[0188]FIG. 13, is a flow chart of an operation in which mail data of anelectronic mail prepared in the facsimile type electronic mail apparatus51 of a transmitting side is transmitted to the facsimile typeelectronic mail apparatus 51 of a receiving side functioning as a relaystation according to an image communicating method of the fourthembodiment.

[0189] As shown in FIG. 13, a paper in which a manuscript is written isset in the scanner unit 25 on a transmitting side, a relay station liststored in the RAM 52 is displayed on the displaying unit 54 on thetransmitting side, a particular relay station corresponding to onefacsimile type electronic mail apparatus 51 of a receiving side isselected, and a number of the particular relay station and a mailaddress of the particular relay station is input to the panel unit 53 onthe transmitting side to specify the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 51 of a receiving side as a particular relay station (stepS151). An example of the relay station list is shown in FIG. 14.Thereafter, a character stream instructing a facsimile transmission isinput to the panel unit 53 on the transmitting side (step S152). In thiscase, the character stream is, for example, composed of a word “relay”and a facsimile number designating a facsimile. Thereafter, a particularpass-word corresponding to the particular relay station is retrievedfrom the relay station list and is input to the panel unit 53 on thetransmitting side, and the particular pass-word is enciphered by theenciphering and deciphering unit 55 (step S153).

[0190] Thereafter, image data is obtained in the scanning unit 25 and isprocessed in the compressing and expanding unit 28 and the formatconverting unit 29, and mail data obtained from the image data isprepared as an electronic mail in the LN control unit 26 on thetransmitting side in the same manner as in the first embodiment.Thereafter, the character stream input to the panel unit 53 is added tothe electronic mail (step S154), and the particular pass-word encipheredby the enciphering and deciphering unit 55 is added to the electronicmail (step S155). As shown in FIG. 7, the character stream (for example,“relay 3491-9191”) and the enciphered particular pass-word are placed inthe text section of the electronic mail. Thereafter, the electronic mailis transmitted from the transmitting side to the particular relaystation with the character stream and the enciphered particularpass-word (step S156).

[0191]FIG. 15 is a flow chart of an operation in which the characterstream transmitted from the transmitting side is analyzed and theelectronic mail is transmitted to a facsimile according to the imagecommunicating method of the fourth embodiment.

[0192] As shown in FIG. 15, when the electronic mail transmitted withthe character stream and the enciphered particular pass-word is receivedin the LAN control unit 26 of the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 51 functioning as the particular relay station (step S157),the character stream is analyzed in the CPU 30 (step S158), and it isjudged whether or not the character stream indicates a facsimiletransmission (step S159). In cases where a word “relay” is found out inthis analysis, it is judged that the character stream indicates afacsimile transmission, and the enciphered particular pass-word placedat a predetermined position of the electronic mail is deciphered in theenciphering and deciphering unit 55 (step S160). Thereafter, it isjudged in the CPU 30 whether or not the deciphered particular pass-wordagrees with a prescribed pass-word registered by an owner of theparticular relay station (step S161). The prescribed pass-word is storedin the RAM 52 in advance. In cases where the deciphered particularpass-word agrees with the prescribed pass-word, a facsimile numberexisting in the character stream is detected, and a facsimile designatedby the facsimile number is specified (step S162). Thereafter, the maildata of the electronic mail is processed in the format inverseconverting unit 27 and the image data adjusting unit 31 in the samemanner as in the first embodiment, and facsimile data obtained from themail data is transmitted from the facsimile communicating unit 56 to thefacsimile designated by the facsimile number through a telephone line(step S163).

[0193] In contrast, in cases where the deciphered particular pass-worddoes not agree with the prescribed pass-word (step S161), errorinformation is transmitted from the LAN control unit 26 of the receivingside to the transmitting side to inform the transmitting side of theoccurrence of an error (step S164). Also, in cases where the word“relay” is not found out (step S159), the mail data of the electronicmail is processed in the format inverse converting unit 27 and the imagedata adjusting unit 31 in the same manner as in the first embodiment,and image data obtained from the mail data is printed out by theprinting unit 32 to reproduce the manuscript (step S165).

[0194] Accordingly, because the facsimile type electronic mail apparatus51 functions as a relay station for the facsimile communication, acommunication cost required for the facsimile communication can be savedas compared with that in a normal facsimile communication in cases wherea fixed internet fee is paid by an owner every month.

[0195] Also, because an electronic mail communication between thetransmitting and receiving sides is performed while using the encipheredpass-word added to the electronic mail, there is no probability that thefacsimile type electronic mail apparatus 51 is used for a wrong purposeby an unspecified person to be against owner's interests. In addition,the electronic mail communication performed while using the encipheredpass-word can be applied for a conventional electronic mail system.

[0196] Also, because the occurrence of an error is informed thetransmitting side in cases where a pass-word selected on thetransmitting side does not agree with a prescribed pass-word of thereceiving side, a user can know the selection error of the pass-word.

[0197] Next, a fifth embodiment in which a pass-word is enciphered independence on contents of a manuscript is described.

[0198] In cases where a pass-word is enciphered according to a fixedenciphering method and the enciphered pass-word is added to anelectronic mail in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment, anunspecified person who unfairly gets the enciphered pass-word from anelectronic mail can use the enciphered pass-word for a wrong purpose byadding the enciphered pass-word to another electronic mail. In the fifthembodiment, this problem is solved by using a cipher key.

[0199]FIG. 16 shows a procedure for forming a cipher key in dependenceon image data obtained from a manuscript and enciphering a pass-word byusing the cipher key.

[0200] As shown in FIG. 16, pieces of data “01”, “7E” and “10” placed atthe fifth byte, the 50-th byte and the 100-th byte of image data are,for example, extracted as elements of a cipher key. When a pass-word“123ABC” is selected from the relay station list, the pass-word isexpressed by an ASCII (American National Standard Code for InformationInterchange) code stream “313233414243”. Thereafter, the pieces of data“01”, “7E” and “10” are arranged one after another in that order to forma cipher key on condition that the number of bits in the cipher key isthe same as the number of bits in the ASCII code stream “313233414243”of the pass-word “123ABC”. That is, a cipher key “017E10017E10” isdetermined. Thereafter, the ASCII code stream is divided to a pluralityof elements “31”, “32”, “33”, “41”, “42” and “43” respectivelycorresponding one element of the cipher key, each element of the cipherkey is expressed according to the binary notation, each element of theASCII code stream is expressed according to the binary notation, a bitvalue of each element of the ASCII code stream corresponding to a bitvalue “1” of each element of the cipher key is changed (or inverted).

[0201] For example, as shown in FIG. 17, the first element “01” of thecipher key is expressed by binary numerals “0000 0001”, and the firstelement “31” of the cipher key is expressed by binary numerals “00110001”. Because a bit placed at the most right end of the binary numerals“0000 0001” is a value “1”, a value “1” of a bit placed at the mostright end of the binary numerals “0011 0001” is changed to an invertedvalue “0” to obtain new binary numerals “0011 0000” indicating “30”, sothat an element “30” of a ciphered pass-word is obtained. As a result,the pass-word “313233414243” expressed by the ASCII code stream ischanged to a ciphered pass-word “304C23403C53” expressed by the ASCIIcode stream according to the cipher key determined from contents of themanuscript.

[0202] The above ciphering procedure is performed under the control ofthe CPU 30 of the apparatus 51.

[0203] Accordingly, because the cipher key changes with the contents ofthe manuscript, even though an unspecified person unfairly gets theenciphered pass-word from an electronic mail for a manuscript, becausethe enciphered pass-word cannot be used for another manuscript, theunspecified person cannot use the enciphered pass-word for a wrongpurpose by adding the enciphered pass-word to another electronic mail.

[0204] In this embodiment, the cipher key changes with the contents ofthe manuscript. However, the fifth embodiment is not limited to thecontents of the manuscript. For example, it is applicable that thecipher key changes with changeable information such as date informationadded to the electronic mail.

[0205] Next, a sixth embodiment in which the occurrence of an error in afacsimile transmission is informed a transmitting side is described.

[0206]FIG. 18 is a flow chart of an operation in which the occurrence ofan error in a facsimile transmission is informed a transmitting sideaccording to an image communicating method of the sixth embodiment.

[0207] As shown in FIG. 18, the steps S157 to S165 are performed in thesame manner as in the fourth embodiment. In this case, an address of thetransmitting side is written in a header of the electronic mail.Thereafter, when the facsimile data is transmitted from the facsimilecommunicating unit 56 to the facsimile designated by the facsimilenumber (step S163), it is judged by the CPU 30 whether or not an erroroccurs in a facsimile transmission (step S171). In cases where an erroroccurs in a facsimile transmission, an address of the transmitting sidewritten in a header of the electronic mail is identified, and theoccurrence of the error in the facsimile transmission is informed thetransmitting side by an electronic mail (step S172).

[0208] Accordingly, because the occurrence of the error in the facsimiletransmission is informed the transmitting side, a user of thetransmitting side can immediately know that the image of the manuscriptis not transmitted to the facsimile.

[0209] Next, a seventh embodiment in which print data transmitted from apersonal computer of a transmitter is analyzed in a facsimile typeelectronic mail apparatus of a receiver and a facsimile transmission toa facsimile identified by a facsimile number included in the print datais performed is described.

[0210]FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a facsimile type electronic mailapparatus functioning as a relay station according to a seventhembodiment.

[0211] As shown in FIG. 19, a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus58 comprises the ROM 22, the RAM 52, the panel unit 53, the scanningunit 25, the LAN control unit 26,

[0212] a print data analyzing unit 59 for analyzing print data receivedin the LAN control unit 26 and extracting both a facsimile numberdesignating a facsimile and an electronic mail address designating anerror information receiving apparatus,

[0213] the compressing and expanding unit 28, the CPU 30, the image dataadjusting unit 31, the printing unit 32, the displaying unit 54, theenciphering and deciphering unit 55, and the facsimile communicatingunit 56.

[0214] In the above configuration of the facsimile type electronic mailapparatus 58, a facsimile transmitting operation performed by receivinga printing instruction is described with reference to FIG. 20.

[0215]FIG. 20 is a flow chart of an operation in which print datatransmitted from a personal computer of a transmitting side is analyzedand transmitted to a facsimile identified by a facsimile number includedin the print data.

[0216] As shown in FIG. 20, a printing program is installed in apersonal computer (or a terminal) to output print data from the personalcomputer (step S181). In the printing program, an instruction forinserting a facsimile number denoting a destination, to which the printdata is output in a facsimile transmission, into the print data andanother instruction for inserting an electronic mail address designatingan error information receiving apparatus into the print data areincluded. The electronic mail address is stored in a memory of thepersonal computer in advance by executing the printing program.Therefore, when the printing program is executed later, the electronicmail address is automatically inserted into the print data.

[0217] Thereafter, when a user of the personal computer inputs aprinting instruction to the personal computer (step S182), the printingprogram is executed, and the user is urged to input a facsimile number.When the facsimile number is input by the user (step S183), thefacsimile number is inserted into the print data, and the print data istransmitted to the facsimile type electronic mail apparatus 58 of areceiving side through the LAN 14 (step S184). Thereafter, when theprint data is received in the LAN control unit 26 of the apparatus 58according to an LAN print protocol (step S185), the print data isexpanded in the compressing and expanding unit 28 and is analyzed in theprint data analyzing unit 59, and the facsimile number denoting thedestination is extracted from the print data (step S186). Thereafter,the print data is processed in the image data adjusting unit 31 ifnecessary and is transmitted from the facsimile communicating unit 56 toa facsimile designated by the facsimile number through a telephone line(step S187). Thereafter, it is judged by the CPU 30 whether or not anerror occurs in a facsimile transmission (step S188). In cases where anerror occurs in the facsimile transmission, the electronic mail addressis extracted from the print data in the print data analyzing unit 59,and the occurrence of the error in the facsimile transmission isinformed an error information receiving apparatus designated by theelectronic mail address (step S189) by sending error information with anelectronic mail.

[0218] Accordingly, the print data can be transmitted to the facsimilewhen the user inputs a printing instruction to the personal computer.Also, in cases where an error occurs in the facsimile transmission, theuser can be immediately informed of the occurrence of the error by anelectronic mail.

[0219]FIG. 21 is a conceptual view of operational circumstances in whicha facsimile type electronic mail apparatus is operated.

[0220] As shown in FIG. 21, a facsimile apparatus 71, 81 or 91 accordingto eighth to fifteenth embodiments is operated in operationalcircumstances in which facsimile data is transmitted from one of aplurality of G3 facsimiles 62 to the facsimile apparatus through atelephone line of a public switches telephone network (PSTN) or aprivate branch exchange 63 and mail data obtained by converting afacsimile format of the facsimile data to a mail format is transmittedfrom the facsimile apparatus to one of terminals (or personal computers)64 through an LAN or an internet 65 by an electronic mail. In this case,an ethernet is, for example, used as a protocol for the electronic mailtransmitted through the LAN. An information designating one terminal towhich the mail data is transmitted is placed at a sub-address of thefacsimile data, and the sub-address is prescribed in a T-30 rule ofprotocol standards for a facsimile transmission. Also, in cases where anerror occurs in the transmission of the electronic mail because of anunknown destination of the electronic mail or the like, a facsimilenumber specifying the G3 facsimile 62 from which the facsimile data istransmitted to the apparatus 71, 81 or 91 is examined, and errorinformation is transmitted from the facsimile apparatus to the G3facsimile 62. In this case, the facsimile number is known from atransmitting subscriber identification (TSI) included in the facsimiledata. The TSI is also prescribed in the T-30 rule of the protocolstandards. As is described above, it is applicable that the sub-addressand/or the TSI be used for correspondent information included in thefacsimile data.

[0221]FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according toan eighth embodiment of the present invention.

[0222] As shown in FIG. 22, a facsimile apparatus 71 comprises

[0223] a ROM 72 for storing a program,

[0224] a RAM 73 for storing data used for the execution of the programstored in the ROM 22 and storing a corresponding table of a plurality ofsets respectively composed of a transmitter's electronic mail address,an informing facsimile number and a receiver's electronic mail address,

[0225] a facsimile data communicating unit 74 for receiving facsimiledata transmitted from one facsimile 62 of a transmitter and transmittingeither error information indicating the occurrence of an error in thetransmission of the facsimile data or a reply mail to the facsimile 62;

[0226] a mail addresses generating unit 75 for generating atransmitter's electronic mail address of the facsimile 62 for eachfacsimile data to uniquely specifying one of the facsimiles 62;

[0227] a format converting unit 76 for converting an image format of thefacsimile data to a mail format to change the facsimile data received bythe facsimile data communicating unit 74 to mail data and inserting thetransmitter's electronic mail address generated in the mail addressesgenerating unit 75 into the mail data;

[0228] a compressing and expanding unit 77 for compressing the mail dataobtained in the format converting unit 76;

[0229] an LAN control unit 78 for transmitting the mail data compressedby the compressing and expanding unit 77 to one personal computer 64 ofa receiver by an electronic mail and receiving the error information orthe reply mail transmitted from the personal computer 64;

[0230] a character-to-image converting unit 79 for converting acharacter included in the error information or the reply mail receivedby the LAN control unit 78 to received image data to transmit thereceived image data to the facsimile 62 through the facsimile datacommunicating unit 74; and

[0231] a CPU 80 for controlling the constitutional elements 72 to 79.

[0232] In the above configuration of the facsimile apparatus 71, anoperation performed by the facsimile apparatus 71 when facsimile data isreceived is described with reference to FIG. 23.

[0233]FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus 71 according to the eighth embodiment when facsimiledata is received in the facsimile apparatus 71.

[0234] A user (or a transmitter) of one facsimile 62 writes in advance afacsimile number specifying the facsimile 62 in facsimile data as atransmitting subscriber identification. Also, the user inputs anelectronic mail address of one personal computer 64 (or a receiver) inadvance in a sub-address placed in the facsimile data. Thereafter, whenthe facsimile data transmitted from the facsimile 62 is received in thefacsimile apparatus 71 (step S201), the facsimile number is extractedfrom the facsimile data and is stored in the RAM 73 as an informingfacsimile number, and the electronic mail address of the personalcomputer 64 is stored in the RAM 73 as a receiver's electronic mailaddress (step S202). Because the receiver's electronic mail address iswritten by using English letters, each English letter is obtained byconverting a numeral according to the ASCII code or the like and isstored in a memory (not shown).

[0235] Though it is prescribed that a group of numerals can be only usedas data stored in the sub-address, because it is expected that the useof a group of English characters in the sub-address is allowed in thefuture, the receiver's electronic mail address composed of Englishcharacters is used in this embodiment. In cases where a company usingthe facsimile apparatus 71 is the same as that using the facsimile 62,it is applicable that a corresponding table of a group of numeralswritten in the sub-address and an electronic mail address be registered.

[0236] Thereafter, a user's name uniquely specifying the facsimile 62 isgenerated in the mail addresses generating unit 75 as a transmitter'selectronic mail address (step S203). For example, numbers from 1 to 9999are allocated as the user's name without overlapping the numerals. Theuser's name is registered in a corresponding table shown in FIG. 24.That is, each of numbers 0001, 0002, . . . , 9999 registered in a columnof a transmitter's electronic mail address is one user's name, and anelectronic mail address of the facsimile apparatus 71 is expressed by“0002@intfax.mgcs.co.jp”. “intfax” is a host name of the facsimileapparatus 71, and “mgcs.co.jp” indicates a domain of a company in whichthe facsimile apparatus 71 is settled.

[0237] Thereafter, the informing facsimile number and the receiver'selectronic mail address are registered in the corresponding table incorrespondence to the user's name (step S204). The corresponding tableis stored in the RAM 73. Thereafter, an image format of the facsimiledata received by the facsimile data communicating unit 74 is convertedto a mail format by the format converting unit 76 to produce mail data,and a set of the user's name, the informing facsimile number and thereceiver's electronic mail address is added to the mail data (stepS205). The mail format is obtained by converting the facsimile data todata of a TIFF type (a format for managing an image in a personalcomputer) and adding a header formed according to MIME (standards forreceiving and transmitting data except a text by an electronic mail).Thereafter, the mail data is compressed by the compressing and expandingunit 77 and is transmitted by a transmitter's electronic mail from theLAN control unit 78 to the personal computer 64 specified by thereceiver's electronic mail address through the RAN 65 (step S206).

[0238] When the personal computer 64 receives the electronic mailtransmitted from the facsimile apparatus 71, the host name “intfax” ofthe electronic mail address “0002@intfax.mgcs.co.jp” is recognized bythe personal computer 64, and error information or reply information ofa receiver's electronic mail is returned to the facsimile apparatus 71by transmitting the receiver's electronic mail to a destinationdesignated by the host name. In cases where a transmission error occursin the transmission of the transmitter's electronic mail, errorinformation is transmitted from a gate way placed in the LAN 65 to thefacsimile apparatus 71.

[0239]FIG. 25 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus 71 according to the eighth embodiment when anelectronic mail transmitted from the personal computer 64 of thereceiver is returned to the transmitter.

[0240] When the receiver's electronic mail is received in the LANcontrol unit 78 (step S211), the user's name “0002” of the electronicmail address “0002@intfax.mgcs.co.jp” is recognized, and the informingfacsimile number 03-5434-7088 is retrieved from the corresponding tablestored in the RAM 73 according to the user's name “0002” (step S212). Inthis case, any unknown person cannot send an electronic mail to thefacsimile apparatus 71 because the unknown person does not know theuser's name “0002”.

[0241] Thereafter, the receiver's electronic mail is converted toreceiver's facsimile data (step S213). In cases where the receiver'selectronic mail is composed of characters or English letters, thereceiver's electronic mail is converted to receiver's image data in thecharacter-to-image converting unit 79, and the receiver's image data isconverted to receiver's facsimile data in the compressing and expandingunit 77. Thereafter, the receiver's facsimile data is transmitted fromthe FAX data communicating unit 74 to the facsimile 62 specified by theinforming facsimile number through a telephone line (step S214).

[0242] Accordingly, because the user's name uniquely specifying thefacsimile 62 is generated in the mail addresses generating unit 75 as atransmitter's electronic mail address, even though an error occurs inthe transmission of the transmitter's electronic mail and errorinformation is returned to the facsimile apparatus 71, the facsimile 62can be specified according to the user's name, and the error informationcan be correctly transmitted to the facsimile 62.

[0243] In this embodiment, the facsimile number specifying the facsimile62 is registered in the corresponding table. However, it is applicablethat a telephone number, an electronic mail address or informationspecifying a destination be useful in place of the facsimile number.

[0244] Next, a ninth embodiment according to the present invention isdescribed with reference to FIG. 26.

[0245] In the eighth embodiment, the error information of the receiver'selectronic mail is written in English, and the error information isprinted as it is by the facsimile 62. In this case, because the errorinformation is printed on a facsimile paper in English, a Japaneseperson who is not familiar with an electronic mail cannot immediatelyrealize contents of the receiver's electronic mail. Therefore, in theninth embodiment, the error information informed in English istranslated into Japanese.

[0246]FIG. 26 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus 71 according to the eighth embodiment when anelectronic mail transmitted from the personal computer 64 is returned tothe facsimile apparatus 71.

[0247] As shown in FIG. 26, the steps S211 and S212 are performed in thesame manner as in the eighth embodiment. Thereafter, in cases where anerror information is included in the receiver's electronic mail or thereceiver's electronic mail is transmitted from an electronic mailaddress not registered in the corresponding table, a description “errortransmission” expressed in Japanese is read out from the RAM 73, and thereceiver's electronic mail, the description “error transmission”expressed in Japanese and a mail address of the receiver is changed toreceiver's image data in the character-to-image converting unit 79, andthe image data is converted to receiver's facsimile data (step S221).Thereafter, the receiver's facsimile data is transmitted from the FAXdata communicating unit 74 to the facsimile 62 specified by theinforming facsimile number through a telephone line (step S214).

[0248] Accordingly, even though a Japanese person who is not familiarwith an electronic mail receives the error information when he sends anelectronic mail to a receiver, he can immediately realize the occurrentof the transmission error when he receive the receiver's facsimile data.

[0249] Next, a tenth embodiment according to the present invention isdescribed with reference to FIG. 27.

[0250] In the tenth embodiment, when a transmitter transmits a facsimileconverted to an transmitter's electronic mail to a receiver (or thepersonal computer 64), a message “Please return a blank electronic mailto a transmitter's electronic mail address written in the transmitter'selectronic mail” is inserted into the transmitter's electronic mail.Therefore, a receiver's electronic mail in which a mail address of thereceiver and a user's name are written in a header of the receiver'selectronic mail and any other contents are not written.

[0251]FIG. 27 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus 71 according to the tenth embodiment when areceiver's electronic mail transmitted from the personal computer 64 isreturned to the facsimile apparatus 71.

[0252] When the receiver's electronic mail is received in the LANcontrol unit 78 (step S211), the user's name of the receiver'selectronic mail address is recognized, and an informing facsimile numberand a receiver's electronic mail address are retrieved from thecorresponding table stored in the RAM 73 according to the user's name(step S231). Thereafter, the mail address of the receiver written in theheader of the receiver's electronic mail by the receiver is comparedwith the receiver's electronic mail address retrieved from thecorresponding table (step S232). Thereafter, it is judged in the CPU 80whether or not the mail address of the receiver agrees with thereceiver's electronic mail address (step S233).

[0253] In cases where the mail address of the receiver agrees with thereceiver's electronic mail address, because the transmitter's electronicmail is correctly received by the receiver, a particular message “anelectronic mail is successfully transmitted to a receiver” expressed inJapanese is read out from the RAM 73, and the particular message and themail address of the receiver is changed to receiver's image data in thecharacter-to-image converting unit 79, and the image data is convertedto receiver's facsimile data (step S234). In contrast, in cases wherethe mail address of the receiver does not agree with the receiver'selectronic mail address (step S233), because the transmitter'selectronic mail is received by a wrong receiver, a description “errortransmission” expressed in Japanese is read out-from the RAM 73, and thedescription “error transmission” expressed in Japanese and the mailaddress of the receiver is changed to receiver's image data in thecharacter-to-image converting unit 79, and the image data is convertedto receiver's facsimile data (step S235). Thereafter, the receiver'sfacsimile data is transmitted from the FAX data communicating unit 74 tothe facsimile 62 specified by the informing facsimile number through atelephone line (step S214).

[0254] Accordingly, when a correct receiver successfully receives anelectronic mail transmitted from a transmitter, the transmitter canascertain that the receiver actually reads contents of the transmitter'selectronic mail.

[0255] Next, an eleventh embodiment according to the present inventionis described with reference to FIG. 28.

[0256] In cases where a transmission error of an electronic mail occursin a transmitter's electronic mail, error information is immediatelyreturned to a transmitter in general. Therefore, in cases where errorinformation is not returned to a transmitter even though a prescribedtime elapses after the transmission of an electronic mail, it is assumedthat the electronic mail is successfully received by a receiver. In thiscase, a set of a user's name, an informing facsimile number and areceiver's electronic mail address registered in the corresponding tableas a record of the transmitter's electronic mail is not required.Therefore, the record is deleted from the corresponding table after aprescribed time elapses.

[0257]FIG. 28 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according toan eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

[0258] As shown in FIG. 28, a facsimile apparatus 81 comprises the ROM72, the RAM 73, the facsimile data communicating unit 74, the mailaddresses generating unit 75, the format converting unit 76, thecompressing and expanding unit 77, the LAN control unit 78, thecharacter-to-image converting unit 79, the CPU 80 and a timer 82 formeasuring an elapsed time to delete a record registered in thecorresponding table of the RAM 73 when a prescribed time like 24 hourselapses after the record is stored in the RAM 73 under the control ofthe CPU 80.

[0259] In the above configuration of the facsimile apparatus 81, afteran informing facsimile number and a receiver's electronic mail addressare registered in the corresponding table as a particular record incorrespondence to a user's name in the step S204 of FIG. 23, an elapsedtime is measured by the timer 82. When a prescribed time like 24 hourselapses after the particular record is registered in the correspondingtable, the particular record is deleted from the corresponding table.

[0260] Accordingly, because a set of a user's name, an informingfacsimile number and a receiver's electronic mail address denoting arecord of a transmitter's electronic mail is deleted when a prescribedtime elapsed after the record is registered in the corresponding table,a volume of records registered in the corresponding table is notenormously increased. Therefore, the number of facsimiles 62 (ortransmitters) is not limited even though a memory capacity allocated tothe corresponding table is limited.

[0261] Next, an operation performed in the facsimile apparatus 71 isdescribed according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention.

[0262] When a receiver's electronic mail is returned to the LAN controlunit 78 as a reply of a transmitter's electronic mail in the step S211of FIG. 25, an informing facsimile number is retrieved from thecorresponding table stored in the RAM 73 in the step S212, thereceiver's electronic mail is converted to receiver's facsimile data inthe step S213, and the receiver's facsimile data is transmitted to onefacsimile 62 specified by the informing facsimile number in the stepS214. Thereafter, a set of a user's name, an informing facsimile numberand a receiver's electronic mail address denoting a record of thetransmitter's electronic mail is deleted.

[0263] Accordingly, because a set of a user's name, an informingfacsimile number and a receiver's electronic mail address denoting arecord of a transmitter's electronic mail is deleted each time a replyof the transmitter's electronic mail is returned to a facsimile 62, avolume of records registered in the corresponding table is notenormously increased. Therefore, the number of facsimiles 62 (ortransmitters) is not limited even though a memory capacity allocated tothe corresponding table is limited.

[0264] Also, in cases where a concept of the eleventh embodiment and aconcept of the twelfth embodiment are combined, the corresponding tablecan be moreover effectively managed.

[0265] Next, an operation performed in the facsimile apparatus 71 isdescribed with reference to FIG. 29 according to a thirteenth embodimentof the present invention.

[0266] In this embodiment, a receiver who receives a transmitter'selectronic mail manages a record of the corresponding table. That is, incases where the receiver intends to delete a particular recordcorresponding to the transmitter's electronic mail, a word “deletion” isinserted into a receiver's electronic mail transmitted to a transmitteras a reply, and the particular record registered in the correspondingtable is deleted according to the word “deletion” under the control ofthe CPU 80.

[0267]FIG. 29 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus 71 according to the thirteenth embodiment when areceiver's electronic mail transmitted from the personal computer 64 isreturned to the facsimile apparatus 71.

[0268] The steps S211, S231, S232 and S233 are performed in the samemanner as in the tenth embodiment. In this case, in cases where thereceiver intends to delete a particular record corresponding to thetransmitter's electronic mail, a word “deletion” is inserted into areceiver's electronic mail. In cases where the mail address of thereceiver agrees with the receiver's electronic mail address (step S233),a receiver's electronic mail is changed to receiver's image data in thecharacter-to-image converting unit 79, and the receiver's image data isconverted to receiver's facsimile data (step S241). Thereafter, it isjudged in the CPU 80 whether or not the word “deletion” is inserted intothe receiver's facsimile data (step S242). In cases where the word“deletion” is inserted into the receiver's facsimile data, a recordcorresponding to the transmitter's electronic mail is deleted from thecorresponding table (step S243), and the receiver's facsimile data istransmitted to one facsimile 62 specified by the informing facsimilenumber in the step S214. In contrast, in cases where the word “deletion”is not inserted into the receiver's facsimile data, the receiver'sfacsimile data is transmitted to one facsimile 62 in the step S214without deleting the record.

[0269] In contrast, in cases where the mail address of the receiver doesnot agree with the receiver's electronic mail address (step S233), thereceiver's electronic mail is changed to receiver's image data in thecharacter-to-image converting unit 79, and the receiver's image data isconverted to receiver's facsimile data (step S244). Thereafter, thereceiver's facsimile data is transmitted to one facsimile 62 in the stepS214.

[0270] Accordingly, because a record corresponding to the transmitter'selectronic mail is deleted from the corresponding table in cases wherethe receiver intends to delete the record, the receiver can manage thecorresponding table stored in the RAM 73. That is, the receiver canreturn a receiver's electronic mail any time to the facsimile 62 throughthe facsimile apparatus 71, or the receiver can transmit a receiver'selectronic mail many times to the facsimile 62 through the facsimileapparatus 71 until the word “deletion” is inserted into the receiver'sfacsimile data by the receiver.

[0271] Next, a fourteenth embodiment according to the present inventionis described with reference to FIGS. 30 and 31.

[0272] In this embodiment, a replay or transmission error informationfor facsimile data transmitted to a receiver is received by a telephoneof a transmitter.

[0273]FIG. 30 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to afourteenth embodiment of the present invention.

[0274] As shown in FIG. 30, a facsimile apparatus 91 comprises

[0275] the ROM 72,

[0276] the RAM 73 for storing data used for the execution of the programstored in the ROM 22, storing a corresponding table of a plurality ofsets respectively composed of a transmitter's electronic mail address,an informing telephone number and a receiver's electronic mail address,storing a speech file of a speech signal indicating a message“successful transmission” and another speech file of a speech signalindicating a message “transmission error”,

[0277] the facsimile data communicating unit 74, the mail addressesgenerating unit 75, the format converting unit 76, the compressing andexpanding unit 77, the LAN control unit 78, the character-to-imageconverting unit 79, the CPU 80,

[0278] a speech signal reproducing unit 92 for reproducing the speechsignal indicating the message “successful transmission” or the speechsignal indicating the message “transmission error” from the speech filestored in the RAM 73, and

[0279] a speech signal transmitting unit 93 for transmitting the speechsignal reproduced by the speech signal reproducing unit 92 to atelephone specified by a telephone number corresponding to atransmitter's electronic mail.

[0280] In the above configuration of the facsimile apparatus 91, beforea transmitter transmits facsimile data, an informing telephone number ofthe transmitter is registered as a transmitter's identification numberof the facsimile data in advance. Also, a receiver's electronic mailaddress and the telephone number partitioned by a symbol # are writtenin a sub-address of the facsimile data in advance. Thereafter, when thefacsimile data is received by the facsimile data communicating unit 74of the facsimile apparatus 91, a set of a transmitter's electronic mailaddress generated by the mail addresses generating unit 75, theinforming telephone number and the receiver's electronic mail address isregistered in the corresponding table.

[0281]FIG. 31 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus 91 according to the fourteenth embodiment when areceiver's electronic mail transmitted from the personal computer 64 isreturned to the facsimile apparatus 91.

[0282] When a receiver's electronic mail is returned to the LAN controlunit 78 as a reply of a transmitter's electronic mail in the step S211,the transmitter's electronic mail address (or a user's name), theinforming telephone number and the receiver's electronic mail addressare retrieved from the corresponding table stored in the RAM 73 (stepS251). Thereafter, a mail address of the receiver written in the headerof the receiver's electronic mail by the receiver is compared with thereceiver's electronic mail address retrieved from the correspondingtable (step S252). Thereafter, it is judged in the CPU 80 whether or notthe mail address of the receiver agrees with the receiver's electronicmail address (step S253).

[0283] In cases where the mail address of the receiver agrees with thereceiver's electronic mail address, a speech file of a speech signalindicating a message “successful transmission” is read out from the RAM73 and is combined with the receiver's electronic mail address (stepS254). Thereafter, the speech signal indicating the message “successfultransmission” is reproduced from the speech file by the speech signalreproducing unit 92, and the speech signal is transmitted to a telephonespecified by the informing telephone number through the speech signaltransmitting unit 93 (step S255).

[0284] In contrast, in cases where the mail address of the receiver doesnot agree with the receiver's electronic mail address, a speech file ofa speech signal indicating a message “transmission error” is read outfrom the RAM 73 and is combined with the receiver's electronic mailaddress (step S256). Thereafter, the speech signal indicating themessage “transmission error” is reproduced from the speech file by thespeech signal reproducing unit 92, and the speech signal is transmittedto the telephone specified by the informing telephone number through thespeech signal transmitting unit 93 (step S255).

[0285] Accordingly, in cases where the transmitter's electronic mail iscorrectly received by the receiver, the transmitter can hear the speechmessage “successful transmission” on the telephone. Also, in cases wherea transmission error occurs in the transmission of the transmitter'selectronic mail, the transmitter can hear the speech message“transmission error” on the telephone. Therefore, the transmitter caneasily know the successful transmission or the transmission error.

[0286] Next, an operation performed in the facsimile apparatus 91 isdescribed with reference to FIG. 32 according to a fifteenth embodimentof the present invention.

[0287] In this embodiment, before a transmitter transmits facsimile datathrough his facsimile 62, an informing electronic mail address of thetransmitter is registered as a transmitter's identification number ofthe facsimile data in advance. The informing electronic mail addressindicates a first personal computer 64 of the transmitter. Also, areceiver's electronic mail address and the informing electronic mailaddress partitioned by a symbol # are written in a sub-address of thefacsimile data in advance. The receiver's electronic mail addressspecifies a second personal computer 64.

[0288]FIG. 32 is a flow chart showing an operation performed by thefacsimile apparatus 71 according to the fifteenth embodiment whenfacsimile data is received in the facsimile apparatus 71.

[0289] When the facsimile data transmitted from one facsimile 62 isreceived in the facsimile apparatus 71 (step S201), the receiver'selectronic mail address and the informing electronic mail addresswritten in the facsimile data are recognized (step S261), a format ofthe facsimile data is converted to a mail format to change the facsimiledata to a transmitter's electronic mail (step S262), the informing mailaddress of the transmitter is registered in a header of thetransmitter's electronic mail as a transmitter's electronic mail address(step S263), and the transmitter's electronic mail is transmitted fromthe LAN control unit 78 to the second personal computer 64 specified bythe receiver's electronic mail address through the LAM (or internet) 65(step S264).

[0290] Thereafter, a receiver's electronic mail indicating a reply ofthe transmitter's electronic mail or error information is directlytransmitted from the second personal computer 64 to the first personalcomputer 64 of the transmitter without passing the facsimile apparatus71.

[0291] Accordingly, because the receiver's electronic mail can bereceived by the personal computer 64 of the transmitter, transmissionerror information or successful transmission information can be directlyinformed the transmitter without passing the information through thefacsimile apparatus 71.

[0292] Also, because the receiver's electronic mail is changed toreceiver's facsimile data in the facsimile apparatus 71, 81 or 91 in theeighth to thirteenth embodiments, in cases where the transmitter intendsto display the receiver's facsimile data on the first personal computer64, it is required to read an image of the receiver's facsimile datawith a scanner and transmit the image to the first personal computer 64of the transmitter. Therefore, it is troublesome to display thereceiver's facsimile data on the first personal computer 64 in theeighth to thirteenth embodiments. However, because the receiver'selectronic mail is received by the personal computer 64, the transmittercan easily display the receiver's electronic mail on his personalcomputer 64.

[0293] Having illustrated and described the principles of the presentinvention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be modifiedin arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. Weclaim all modifications coming within the spirit and scope of theaccompanying claims.

1. A communication apparatus comprising: a scanner configured to scan adocument to obtain binary image data; an adder that adds paper sizeinformation indicating a paper size of the scanned document to theobtained binary image data; a converter that converts the binary imagedata including the paper size information, into e-mail data; and atransmitter that transmits the converted e-mail data including the papersize information to a destination terminal over a network so that thedestination terminal can determine whether to downsize the binary imagedata in the e-mail data in accordance with the paper size information.2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprisinga compressor that compresses the binary image data obtained by saidscanner, including the paper size information, and outputs thecompressed binary image data including the paper size information tosaid converter.
 3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said adder further adds resolution information of the documentscanned by said scanner.
 4. The communication apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein page size information is provided for each documentscanned by said scanner.
 5. A method for transmitting e-mail dataincluding binary image data, the method comprising: scanning a documentto obtain the binary image data; obtaining paper size informationindicating a paper size of the scanned document; adding the paper sizeinformation to the obtained binary image data; converting the binaryimage data, including the paper size information, into e-mail data; andtransmitting the converted e-mail data including the paper sizeinformation to a destination terminal over a network so that thedestination terminal can determine whether to downsize the binary imagedata in the e-mail data in accordance with the paper size information.6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising compressing theobtained binary image data including the paper size information, andoutputting the compressed binary image data including the paper sizeinformation to be converted into the e-mail data.
 7. The methodaccording to claim 5, wherein the obtaining obtains resolutioninformation of the scanned document.
 8. The method according to claim 5,wherein page size information is provided for each document scanned.